Flood Proof Container

ABSTRACT

A flood proof container is provided. The flood proof container includes a flexible bag, a water-tight seal, and one or more pressure release valves. A method of using the flood proof container is also provided.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 61/264,779 filed Nov. 27, 2009, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Each year, millions of dollars of damage to business and personalproperty in the United States is caused by dust, insects, or rodents asa result of prolonged storage or by flooding that is a result of heavyrainfall, overflowing rivers, or hurricanes. The usual solution ofboxing or wrapping belongings in paper or thin plastic may preventdamage for a short time, but the lack of proper sealing for plastic andthe porous nature of cardboard boxes eventually will let in dust andinsects. Larger pests, such as rodents, will chew their way into boxesor through thin plastic. In addition, depending on where the property isstored, changes in weather may also cause mildew and mold to form on orin the storage container and ruin the contents. Storage in a controlledfacility can be used to avoid these problems, but the expense of movinggoods to and paying rental fees for the storage space can be prohibitivein the long run.

Flooding causes additional problems. Many times an attempt is made tokeep water out of a business or residence with the use of sand bags,which may help protect the land or the building, but is not always anaid in protecting property. Typically, as flood waters rise, the initialreaction is to put goods at a higher level in the building.Unfortunately, this usually leaves the expensive items, such asfurniture or equipment, on the floor as the support for the possessionsthat are easily moved. Attempting to move property to another locationout of the way of rising waters is another solution; however, thisoption is usually not considered until the floodwaters are too high toallow for easy access and transfer, and this solution becomes, at best,costly and time consuming at a time when neither money nor time may beavailable.

What is needed is a flood proof container that is durable, lightweight,inexpensive, and easily stored that may be loaded and sealed by a singleuser within a short period of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The flood proof container, as described herein, uses the basic idea ofwrapping or bagging items. The flood proof container may be suitable forproviding protection from flood water damage, storm surges, leaky roofs,sand, dust, rodents, insects, or a combination thereof, for objects,such as equipment, appliances, and motor vehicles, or a combinationthereof. By using the flood proof container, a business owner maysafeguard all types of furniture, electronic equipment, supplies, orexpensive equipment that would be difficult to replace, thereby ensuringthat business could continue as soon as the emergency was over.Similarly, a business owner may use the flood proof container for safelong-term storage without worrying about the effects of insect and/orrodent infestations. The flood proof container has several otheradvantages including, for example, military use to protect equipment andsupplies from sand and weather related damage and as a flood mitigationdevice.

The present invention provides a flood proof container. The flood proofcontainer includes a flexible bag having a front side, a back side, andan opening between the front side and the back side for inserting one ormore items, wherein the front side is shorter than the back side of theflexible bag, thereby forming a flap; a water-tight seal for sealing theopening including: a first closure device including an adhesive stripextending along the opening on the front side, the back side, or acombination thereof: a second closure device including a doubleheat-sealed closure extending along the flap: and one or more pressurerelease valves.

In one embodiment, each bottom seam, one or two optional side seams, ora combination thereof, between the front side and the back side of theflexible bag are sealed together by hot-melting or ultrasound. In oneembodiment, the first closure device includes an adhesive stripextending along the opening on the front side. In one embodiment, eachof the one or more pressure release valves allows air to pass out of andprevents water from entering into the flood proof container.

In one embodiment, each of the one or more pressure release valvesincludes butterfly valves, ball port valves, V-port valves, or rotaryvalves. In one embodiment, each of the one or more pressure releasevalves is located on the front side of the flexible bag, the back sideof the flexible bag, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, theadhesive strip extending along the opening on the front side of theflexible bag, the back side of the flexible bag, or a combinationthereof includes a water resistant adhesive.

In one embodiment, the water resistant adhesive includes a polyvinylacetate, a polyurethane, a cyanoacrylate, an acrylate, a methacrylate, acopolymer of an acrylate and a methacrylate, or combinations thereof. Inone embodiment, the double heat-sealed closure extending along the flapis formed by a double heat sealing device. In one embodiment, the doubleheat sealing device is a hand-held battery or electric double heatsealing device.

In one embodiment, the flood proof container protects one or more itemsstored inside the sealed flood proof container from flood water damage,storm surges, leaky roofs, sand, dust, insects, rodents, or acombination thereof. In one embodiment, the flexible bag includes aflexible water impermeable plastic material. In one embodiment, theflexible water impermeable plastic material includes one or moresingle-layer films or one or more multiple-layered films includingpolyvinyl chloride, chlorinated polyethylene, chlorinated butyl,polyethylene, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene,linear low density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane,polytetrafluoroethylene, or combinations thereof.

In one embodiment, the flexible bag is transparent. In one embodiment,the flood proof container is loaded and sealed by a single user.

The present invention further provides a flood proof container. Theflood proof container includes: a flexible bag having a front side, aback side, and an opening between the front side and the back side forinserting one or more items, wherein the front side is shorter than theback side of the flexible bag, thereby forming a flap, wherein theflexible bag includes a flexible water impermeable plastic material; awater-tight seal for sealing the opening including: a first closuredevice including an adhesive strip extending along the opening on thefront side: a second closure device including a double heat-sealedclosure extending along the flap: and one or more pressure releasevalves, wherein each of the one or more pressure release valves allowsair to pass out of and prevents water from entering into the flood proofcontainer, and wherein each of the one or more pressure release valvesare located on the front side of the flexible bag, the back side of theflexible bag, or a combination thereof.

The present invention also provides a method of protecting one or moreitems. The method includes: unfolding a flood proof container having anopening for inserting one or more items including: a flexible bag havinga front side, a back side, and an opening between the front side and theback side for inserting one or more items, wherein the front side isshorter than the back side of the flexible bag, thereby forming a flap;a water-tight seal for sealing the opening including: a first closuredevice including an adhesive strip extending along the opening on thefront side, the back side, or a combination thereof: a second closuredevice including a double heat-sealed closure extending along the flap:and one or more pressure release valves; loading one or more items intothe flood proof container; and sealing the flood proof container withthe water-tight seal by removing a release liner from the adhesive stripextending along the opening on the front side, the back side, or acombination thereof; pressing the adhesive strip extending along theopening on the front side, the back side, or a combination thereofagainst either the front side, the back side, or a combination thereof,to provide a permanent water resistant adhesive seal; and sliding aheat-sealing device across the flexible bag adjacent to the permanentwater resistant adhesive seal to form a double heat seal.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the flood proofcontainer, as described herein, will become better understood withreference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention may be best understood by referring to thefollowing description and accompanying drawings, which illustrate suchembodiments. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective side-view drawing illustrating an exemplaryflood proof container.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart schematically representing an exemplary methodfor protecting items from damage.

The drawings are not necessarily to scale. Like numbers used in thefigures refer to like components, steps and the like. However, it willbe understood that the use of a number to refer to a component in agiven figure is not intended to limit the component in another figurelabeled with the same number.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The flood proof container, as described herein, uses the basic idea ofwrapping or bagging items. The flood proof container may be suitable forproviding protection from flood water damage, storm surges, leaky roofs,sand, dust, rodents, insects, or a combination thereof, for objects,such as equipment, appliances, and motor vehicles, or a combinationthereof. By using the flood proof container, a business owner maysafeguard all types of furniture, electronic equipment, supplies, orexpensive equipment that would be difficult to replace, thereby ensuringthat business could continue as soon as the emergency was over.Similarly, a business owner may use the flood proof container for safelong-term storage without worrying about the effects of insect and/orrodent infestations. The flood proof container has several otheradvantages including, for example, military use to protect equipment andsupplies from sand and weather related damage and as a flood mitigationdevice.

The following detailed description includes references to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description.The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in whichthe invention may be practiced. These embodiments, which are alsoreferred to herein as “examples,” are described in enough detail toenable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Theembodiments may be combined, other embodiments may be utilized, orstructural, and logical changes may be made without departing from thescope of the present invention. The following detailed description is,therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of thepresent invention is defined by the appended claims and theirequivalents.

Before the present invention is described in such detail, however, it isto be understood that this invention is not limited to particularvariations set forth and may, of course, vary. Various changes may bemade to the invention described and equivalents may be substitutedwithout departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Inaddition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particularsituation, material, composition of matter, process, process act(s) orstep(s), to the objective(s), spirit or scope of the present invention.All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the claimsmade herein.

Methods recited herein may be carried out in any order of the recitedevents which is logically possible, as well as the recited order ofevents. Furthermore, where a range of values is provided, it isunderstood that every intervening value, between the upper and lowerlimit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in thatstated range is encompassed within the invention. Also, it iscontemplated that any optional feature of the inventive variationsdescribed may be set forth and claimed independently, or in combinationwith any one or more of the features described herein.

The referenced items are provided solely for their disclosure prior tothe filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to beconstrued as an admission that the present invention is not entitled toantedate such material by virtue of prior invention.

Unless otherwise indicated, the words and phrases presented in thisdocument have their ordinary meanings to one of skill in the art. Suchordinary meanings can be obtained by reference to their use in the artand by reference to general and scientific dictionaries, for example,Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc.,Springfield, Mass., 1993, and The American Heritage Dictionary of theEnglish Language, Houghton Mifflin, Boston Mass., 1981.

The following explanations of certain terms are meant to be illustrativerather than exhaustive. These terms have their ordinary meanings givenby usage in the art and in addition include the following explanations.

As used herein, the term “about” refers to a variation of 10 percent ofthe value specified; for example about 50 percent carries a variationfrom 45 to 55 percent.

As used herein, the term “and/or” refers to any one of the items, anycombination of the items, or all of the items with which this term isassociated.

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include pluralreference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It is furthernoted that the claims may be drafted to exclude any optional element. Assuch, this statement is intended to serve as antecedent basis for use ofsuch exclusive terminology as “solely,” “only,” and the like inconnection with the recitation of claim elements, or use of a “negative”limitation.

As used herein, the term “coupled” means the joining of two membersdirectly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary innature or movable in nature and/or such joining may allow for the flowof fluids, electricity, electrical signals, or other types of signals orcommunication between two members. Such joining may be achieved with thetwo members or the two members and any additional intermediate membersbeing integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another orwith the two members or the two members and any additional intermediatemembers being attached to one another. Such joining may be permanent innature or alternatively may be removable or releasable in nature.

As used herein, the terms “include,” “for example,” “such as,” and thelike are used illustratively and are not intended to limit the presentinvention.

As used herein, the terms “preferred” and “preferably” refer toembodiments of the invention that may afford certain benefits, undercertain circumstances. However, other embodiments may also be preferred,under the same or other circumstances. Furthermore, the recitation ofone or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodimentsare not useful, and is not intended to exclude other embodiments fromthe scope of the invention.

As used herein, the terms “front,” “back,” “rear,” “upper,” “lower,”“right,” and “left” in this description are merely used to identify thevarious elements as they are oriented in the FIGS, with “front,” “back,”and “rear” being relative to the direction of the flood proof container.These terms are not meant to limit the element which they describe, asthe various elements may be oriented differently in variousapplications.

In one embodiment, the flood proof container would measure about 10 feetwide and about 10 feet tall, with a pleated bottom that can expand toabout 6 feet in width. This size would enable a home owner to completelyenclose many pieces of furniture, the largest sectional sofa, bedding,appliances, clothing, or lawn equipment to protect them from damage.Different sizes, larger as well as smaller, are also contemplated withinthe scope of this disclosure.

In one embodiment, the flood proof container is typically constructedfrom two sheets of polyethylene plastic which have a thickness of atleast 10 mil (1 mil=0.001 inch) to provide a thick layer of protectionaround the property. The sheet, which forms the rear of the container,may be longer than the front side, thereby forming a flap that may befolded over the front side. The sheets may be hot melted together at thesides and bottom in order to provide strength and durability. Thethickness of the plastic is well suited to protecting property fromdampness and water damage.

In one embodiment, the flood proof container includes two separate anddifferent seals to close the container. The first seal, located on theend of the flap formed by the rear sheet, may be a wide adhesive stripthat is pressed into place on the front side of the container itself,thereby providing maximum protection to the property enclosed in thecontainer. Suitable adhesive strips for the flood proof container, asdescribed herein, include, for example, Command™ Water-Resistant Stripsfrom 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn. The second seal may be doubleheat-sealed closure extending along the flap.

In one embodiment, the typical flood proof container may also include apressure release valve by which any air trapped in the bag could bereleased after the seals had been activated. This pressure release valvemay be fabricated from Gortex or similar fabric in the form of a patch,heat sealed into the polyethylene plastic of the bag at the time ofmanufacture. The patch would typically be made of multiple overlappingflaps that would stay closed until a minimum opening pressure wasexerted on the exterior of the bag. This pressure on the exterior wouldcause an increase in the pressure on the patch from the interior, andthe flaps would open enough to allow air to escape from the interior.Removal of pressure from the exterior of the bag would allow the flapson the patch to close and the bag would return to its original security.

In another embodiment, a pressure release valve consisting of a patchhaving a small flexible tube with an attached plug, much like theinflation device of a plastic beach ball, would be heated sealed intothe plastic of the bag at manufacture. If release of air from the bagwas required after the adhesive strip were sealed and the double heatseal made, the tube would be unfolded from under the lip of the patchand extended, the plug would be removed from the tube, and pressure onthe exterior of the bag would be exerted (if not already present fromflood waters, etc.) When pressure was removed from the exterior of thebag (or an adequate amount of air released from the interior of the bagin response to environmentally applied external pressure, typically fromflood water), the plug would be reinserted into the tube, and the tubewould be refolded under the lip of the patch, thereby securing the bag.This embodiment contemplates the intervention of an individual forreleasing pressure, which is accomplished automatically in otherembodiments of the pressure release valve.

In yet another embodiment, the typical flood proof container may alsoinclude a pressure release valve by which any air trapped in the bagcould be released after the seals had been activated. This pressurerelease valve may be a butterfly valve, a ball port valve, a V-portvalve, or a rotary valve. This pressure release valve may be heat sealedinto the polyethylene plastic of the bag at the time of manufacture.Suitable pressure release valves may include, for example, Series 500Miniature check valve from Smart Products, Morgan Hill, Calif. Thepressure release valve would stay closed until a minimum openingpressure was exerted on the exterior of the bag. This pressure on theexterior would cause an increase in the pressure on the pressure releasevalve from the interior, and the pressure release valve would openenough to allow air to escape from the interior.

FIG. 1 is a perspective side-view drawing illustrating an exemplaryflood proof container 100. The flood proof container 100 includes aflexible bag 101, a water resistant adhesive strip 102, a double heatseal 103, and a pressure release valve 104.

The flexible bag 101 may be manufactured as a single piece of flexibletube made of water impermeable sheeting material, such as plastic orvinyl, and may extend from the top opening to a bottom opening. Theflexible bag 101 may include a permanently sealed bottom seam and anopening at the opposite end. The permanently bottom seam may bewatertight and airtight. It may further be possible to manufacture theflexible bag 101 from two rectangular sheets of flexible and waterimpermeable sheeting material that are joint together by permanent watertight seals at three of the four sides of the flexible bag 101. The sizeof the flood proof container 100 may be chosen according to the size ofan item (not shown) to be stored inside the flood proof container 100.The item may be, for example, an appliance, a piece of electricalequipment, or any other item that may be damaged by elevated watercondition, for example, during a flood or due to a leaking roof. Morethan one item may be stored in the flood proof container 100. The floodproof container 100 may be folded for easy storage when not in use.

One or more weights may be placed inside the flood proof container 100,for example, after the item was loaded into the flood proof container100. The weights may keep the loaded flood proof container 100 fromfloating in the floodwaters or other elevated waters. The number ofweights used may depend on the weight and size of the loaded item.Weights may include, for example, sand bags and iron weights. Theweights may have blunt edges. Additional weights may be placed on top ofthe flood proof container 100. It may further be possible to place theweights inside the item, for example, if the item is a cabinet.

Removing air from the sealed flood proof container 100 by the userapplying external pressure to the sealed flood proof container 100 mayprovide for compactor storage and may reduce the buoyancy of the loadedflood proof container 100. More than one pressure release valve 104 maybe integrated in the flexible bag 101.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart schematically representing an exemplary method200 for protecting items from damage during elevated water conditions.The method 200 may involve a step where the flood proof container 100 isunfolded and laid out flat on the ground. An item may then be loadedinto the flood proof container 100 through the opening, which may beheld open by the user. The release liner is removed from the waterresistant adhesive strip 102 and the rear flap is folded over on thewater resistant adhesive strip 102 to from a water-resistant seal. Adouble heat seal 103 is formed by moving a double heat sealing deviceacross the sealed flap. These steps may be carried out by a single userwithin a relative short time frame.

In the claims provided herein, the steps specified to be taken in aclaimed method or process may be carried out in any order withoutdeparting from the principles of the invention, except when a temporalor operational sequence is explicitly defined by claim language.Recitation in a claim to the effect that first a step is performed thenseveral other steps are performed shall be taken to mean that the firststep is performed before any of the other steps, but the other steps maybe performed in any sequence unless a sequence is further specifiedwithin the other steps. For example, claim elements that recite “firstA, then B, C, and D, and lastly E” shall be construed to mean step Amust be first, step E must be last, but steps B, C, and D may be carriedout in any sequence between steps A and E and the process of thatsequence will still fall within the four corners of the claim.

Furthermore, in the claims provided herein, specified steps may becarried out concurrently unless explicit claim language requires thatthey be carried out separately or as parts of different processingoperations. For example, a claimed step of doing X and a claimed step ofdoing Y may be conducted simultaneously within a single operation, andthe resulting process will be covered by the claim. Thus, a step ofdoing X, a step of doing Y, and a step of doing Z may be conductedsimultaneously within a single process step, or in two separate processsteps, or in three separate process steps, and that process will stillfall within the four corners of a claim that recites those three steps.

Similarly, except as explicitly required by claim language, a singlesubstance or component may meet more than a single functionalrequirement, provided that the single substance fulfills the more thanone functional requirement as specified by claim language.

All patents, patent applications, publications, scientific articles, websites, and other documents and materials referenced or mentioned hereinare indicative of the levels of skill of those skilled in the art towhich the invention pertains, and each such referenced document andmaterial is hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if ithad been incorporated by reference in its entirety individually or setforth herein in its entirety. Additionally, all claims in thisapplication, and all priority applications, including but not limited tooriginal claims, are hereby incorporated in their entirety into, andform a part of, the written description of the invention. Applicantsreserve the right to physically incorporate into this specification anyand all materials and information from any such patents, applications,publications, scientific articles, web sites, electronically availableinformation, and other referenced materials or documents. Applicantsreserve the right to physically incorporate into any part of thisdocument, including any part of the written description, the claimsreferred to above including but not limited to any original claims.

1. A flood proof container comprising: a flexible bag having a frontside, a back side, and an opening between the front side and the backside for inserting one or more items, wherein the front side is shorterthan the back side of the flexible bag, thereby forming a flap; awater-tight seal for sealing the opening comprising: a first closuredevice comprising an adhesive strip extending along the opening on thefront side, the back side, or a combination thereof: a second closuredevice comprising a double heat-sealed closure extending along the flap:and one or more pressure release valves.
 2. The flood proof container ofclaim 1, wherein a bottom seam, one or two optional side seams, or acombination thereof, between the front side and the back side of theflexible bag are sealed together by hot-melting or ultrasound.
 3. Theflood proof container of claim 1, wherein the first closure devicecomprises an adhesive strip extending along the opening on the frontside.
 4. The flood proof container of claim 1, wherein each of the oneor more pressure release valves allows air to pass out of and preventswater from entering into the flood proof container.
 5. The flood proofcontainer of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more pressure releasevalves comprise butterfly valves, ball port valves, V-port valves, orrotary valves.
 6. The flood proof container of claim 1, wherein each ofthe one or more pressure release valves are located on the front side ofthe flexible bag, the back side of the flexible bag, or a combinationthereof.
 7. The flood proof container of claim 1, wherein the adhesivestrip extending along the opening on the front side of the flexible bag,the back side of the flexible bag, or a combination thereof comprises awater resistant adhesive.
 8. The flood proof container of claim 1,wherein the water resistant adhesive comprises a polyvinyl acetate, apolyurethane, a cyanoacrylate, an acrylate, a methacrylate, a copolymerof an acrylate and a methacrylate, or combinations thereof.
 9. The floodproof container of claim 1, wherein the double heat-sealed closureextending along the flap is formed by a double heat sealing device. 10.The flood proof container of claim 9, wherein the double heat sealingdevice is a hand-held battery or electric double heat sealing device.11. The flood proof container of claim 1, wherein the flood proofcontainer protects one or more items stored inside the sealed floodproof container from flood water damage, storm surges, leaky roofs,sand, dust, insects, rodents, or a combination thereof.
 12. The floodproof container of claim 1, wherein the flexible bag comprises aflexible water impermeable plastic material.
 13. The flood proofcontainer of claim 12, wherein the flexible water impermeable plasticmaterial comprises one or more single-layer films or one or moremultiple-layered films comprising polyvinyl chloride, chlorinatedpolyethylene, chlorinated butyl, polyethylene, high densitypolyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene,polypropylene, polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, or combinationsthereof.
 14. A flood proof container comprising: a flexible bag having afront side, a back side, and an opening between the front side and theback side for inserting one or more items, wherein the front side isshorter than the back side of the flexible bag, thereby forming a flap,wherein the flexible bag comprises a flexible water impermeable plasticmaterial; a water-tight seal for sealing the opening comprising: a firstclosure device comprising an adhesive strip extending along the openingon the front side: a second closure device comprising a doubleheat-sealed closure extending along the flap: and one or more pressurerelease valves, wherein each of the one or more pressure release valvesallows air to pass out of and prevents water from entering into theflood proof container, and wherein each of the one or more pressurerelease valves are located on the front side of the flexible bag, theback side of the flexible bag, or a combination thereof.
 15. The floodproof container of claim 14, wherein a bottom seam, one or two optionalside seams, or a combination thereof, between the front side and theback side of the flexible bag are sealed together by hot-melting orultrasound.
 16. The flood proof container of claim 14, wherein thedouble heat-sealed closure extending along the flap is formed by adouble heat sealing device.
 17. The flood proof container of claim 16,wherein the double heat sealing device is a hand-held battery orelectric double heat sealing device.
 18. The flood proof container ofclaim 14, wherein the flood proof container protects one or more itemsstored inside the sealed flood proof container from flood water damage,storm surges, leaky roofs, sand, dust, insects, rodents, or acombination thereof.
 19. A method of protecting one or more itemscomprising: unfolding a flood proof container having an opening forinserting one or more items comprising: a flexible bag having a frontside, a back side, and an opening between the front side and the backside for inserting one or more items, wherein the front side is shorterthan the back side of the flexible bag, thereby forming a flap; awater-tight seal for sealing the opening comprising: a first closuredevice comprising an adhesive strip extending along the opening on thefront side, the back side, or a combination thereof: a second closuredevice comprising a double heat-sealed closure extending along the flap:and one or more pressure release valves; loading one or more items intothe flood proof container; sealing the flood proof container with thewater-tight seal by removing a release liner from the adhesive stripextending along the opening on the front side, the back side, or acombination thereof; pressing the adhesive strip extending along theopening on the front side, the back side, or a combination thereofagainst either the front side, the back side, or a combination thereof,to provide a permanent water resistant adhesive seal; and sliding aheat-sealing device across the flexible bag adjacent to the permanentwater resistant adhesive seal to form a double heat seal.
 20. The methodof claim 19, further comprising removing air trapped inside the floodproof container after sealing the flood proof container.